The KAO's telescope is a conventional Cassegrain reflector with a 36-inch (91.5 cm) aperture, designed primarily for observations in the 1 to 500 micron spectral range. The telescope looks out the left side of the aircraft at an elevation of between 35 and 75 degrees.
The KAO is based at the Ames Research Center (aerial view - 583 KB) at Moffett Field, California (near San Jose, CA). It is operated as a facility for scientists whose proposals have been deemed suitable and have been approved by NASA. Those scientists perform research with scientific instruments which have often been developed especially for use on the aircraft. Each instrument may be installed on the aircraft for a few days to several weeks, allowing multiple flights and investigators using the same instrument.
To perform astronomy while in flight, a number of systems must work together to provide a stable observation platform. Several sub-systems or steps are involved in this process. They include:
The telescope aperture door is normally kept closed until the aircraft is at 35,000 feet or higher. After the flight crew have leveled off the aircraft at the initial assigned altitude, the door is raised to expose the telescope. Opening the door takes about two minutes. After the Mission Director receives verification from the flight deck that the aircraft will remain level and is on the correct heading, the Telescope Operator may uncage the telescope and transfer control from the Main Console to the forward joystick and Tracker Console. The Tracker Operator or the Investigator will then have control of the telescope for fine pointing.
